The Witcher may be named after Geralt of Rivia (played by Henry Cavill in the Netflix show) but he is surrounded by many powerful female characters in every episode. From Ciri and Yennefer, to Fringilla and Triss Marigold.
In general, it's quite a female-centric show, if you get away from Geralt himself and Jaskier. Here we want to focus away from our two female protagonists, Ciri and Yennefer, and focus instead on the two women who were key in shaping them. Tissaia, rector of Aretuza, and Queen Calanthe, monarch of Cintra. In a show full of badass examples, here are a few of the reasons these leaders are the most badass of them all.
Tissaia - Lifting Stones at Aretuza
There's a reason Tissaia is the rector of the magical academy of Aretuza. She is wise, talented, and she is not afraid to show it, even if she is not known for being one to coddle of handhold her students.
She gets to show off her calm cool, and talented, demeanor when she invites her students (including Yennefer) to levitate rocks. As she watches one student's hand whither she does not apologize. She picks up a flower in one hand and shows everyone how to make rocks fly, without apology.
Calanthe - Self Sacrifice
One of Calanthe's most badass moments is her last act (in of The Witcher's straight timeline). When Nilfgaard attacks Cintra and finally reaches the castle, where an injured Calanthe and some hundred or so inhabitants still reside. After sending granddaughter, Ciri, off to safety, Queen Calanthe understands the capture and torture that awaits her and the rest of her castle.
Instead, she sacrifices herself, rather than being held as a pawn and hostage against her own people. Her life is not as important as her kingdom, and her last act shows that.
Tissaia - Invites Yennefer to Fight Nilfgaard
After promising she would never return to Aretuza, Yennefer does and is there at the same time as the conclave of the Northern Mages in response to the Nilfgaard invasion of Cintra. Despite their differences, Tissaia pulls Yennefer aside, after being voted down in her effort to bring help to Cintra, and invites Yennefer to her, against the majority of the conclave.
She is ready to stand up for what she wants and knows where the talent is that she needs to draw to her side.
Calanthe - Killing Monsters
At the betrothal feast for her daughter, Calanthes sits beside Geralt, a Witcher, a man, and a monster hunter. While Geralt is well known, and a man of few words, Calanthe is in no way intimidated by him.
She is also a warrior, as well as a Queen, and a mother. The real moment comes when she tells Geralt, “There’s a simplicity to killing monsters.” She is calm, cool, collected. She knows her audience, and she knows her strength. She knows who she is.
Tissaia - The Eels
Tissaia may be a talented Rector at Aretuza, but it doesn't mean she is fluffy and soft. She is not the professor you go to if you need to cry or express your feelings. She works for the best of Aretuza and the power of the mages overall.
This is never clearer than when she takes a number of her new initiates and turns them into eels so, rather than becoming true mages, they can instead act as conduits of power for others to do magic. This is a cold but calculated choice, and Tissaia knows what she's doing.
Calanthe - Fighting Nilfgaard
It's badass to watch Calanthe actually fight on the battlefield with her army and her husband, King Eist. We get to even see her grieve, when King Eist is killed by an arrow through the eye. She is human, but she is also strong.
She rides a horse, and wields a sword, and, unlike many of those around her, lives, at least a little while, to tell the tale. Magic is cool, but watching Calanthe use her body and her strength to succeed is an incredibly badass moment.
Tissaia - Redirects Lightning
One of the key training moments for initiates at Aretuza is when they are asked to capture lightning, the ultimate test of their ability to channel and control chaos. Yennefer is not one of the successful initiates and actually ends up directing lightning at Tissaia.
But Tissaia is rector of Aretuza for a reason and she not only saves herself from injury but also redirects the lightning that is coming for her straight up back into the sky. Bam.
Calanthe - Wearing Her Armor
Before the betrothal feast, Calanthe returns to her castle in Cintra after a raiding party. When she enters the great hall she is not only wearing armor but bloodstained armor.
She is covered in dirt, ready for a drink, and could not look happier. This is the perfect introduction to who Calanthe is as a queen, warrior, and true badass.
Tissaia - Freeing Yennefer
There's a lot of talk about Tissaia as the rector of Aretuza. She's hard, not very friendly, she even turns a number of her students into eels just to use their power through others. It is outside of the classroom where we see Tissaia truly as a teacher.
She may not be kind to her students, but she knows them and sees them for who they are, strengths and weaknesses both. When she calls out to Yennefer at the Battle Sodden Hill, instructing her to use her chaos, to let it explode, it's both Yennefer and Tissaia's moment.
Calanthe - Crossing Swords
Calanthe has a lot going on at her daughter's betrothal feast. She starts the episode in bloodstained armor, she has to take on suitors, her own daughter, and then a surprise guest who already holds her daughter's heart.
Her most badass moment, however, comes when, fully clean and fully dressed as the ruling monarch of Cintra, she rises and crosses her blade not with just anyone, but with Geralt of Rivia, The Witcher himself. What an epic look that is.